1. Technical Field
The present invention relates generally to the field of bow hunting for game animals and more particularly to an improved penetration limiter device used in combination with an arrow or crossbow bolt to limit the degree of penetration of same into and through a game animal.
2. Description of Prior Art
Within the sport of bow hunting devices known as penetration limiters are well known. Penetration limiters serve to limit the movement of an arrow shaft through a target, typically a game animal. Absent the use of a penetration limiter, an arrow often will pass completely through a game animal; while in some cases this is desirable, so as to leave a blood trail for easier tracking, in other cases, such as when bow hunting turkeys, a pass-through shot is undesired.
A penetration limiter typically consists of a projection or projections which depend at an angle from the longitudinal axis of the arrow shaft. In the most common embodiment, penetration limiters are solid disks which are placed directly behind the broadhead or field point of an arrow. The disks are oriented generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the arrow shaft. The disks may either be fixedly attached to the arrow or movably attached; when fixedly attached, contact of the disk with the game animal immediately stops further penetration of the arrow through the game animal, while when movably attached the arrow will continue to pass through the game animal after contact of the disk with the game animal, but its flight will be slowed as the disk moves rearward along the arrow shaft. Neither of these configurations is ideal. While a fixedly attached disk allows the bow hunter to control the degree of penetration of the arrow, often the arrow fails to penetrate to a sufficient depth for a clean kill, or simply falls out. With a movably attached disk, the degree of penetration is less certain, and the arrow may continue to move completely through and out of the game animal. In both configurations the disk itself impedes the flight of the arrow, creating wind resistance and interfering with distance and accuracy of the shot.
Other embodiments of penetration limiters disclosed in the art include forward oriented hooks or prongs located behind the broadhead or field point. These may be rigid or flexible. A common design incorporates springs with the prongs, such that the prongs have a lower profile during flight and then expand outward from the shaft upon contact with the game animal. While such a configuration improves the flight characteristics of the arrow, the deficiencies resulting from the forward placement of the devices on the arrow shafts remain.
A penetration limiter mounted at the rear of an arrow shaft ensures that a sufficient amount of penetration of the arrow will occur. However, rear mounted penetration limiters known in the art interfere with the shooting of the arrow. They prevent the use of a standard arrow rest, because the penetration limiter will catch on the rest as the arrow is released from the bow, and instead require the use of a fall-away rest. Many bow hunters disfavor the use of fall-away rests, however, limiting the acceptability of known rear mounted penetration limiters.
There is therefore a need for an improved penetration limiter mountable on the rear of a bow-fired projectile for limiting the penetration of said projectile into and through a game animal, whereby the improved penetration limiter may be used with standard shafts and standard rests.
It is therefore an objective of this invention to provide an improved penetration limiter mountable on the rear of a bow-fired projectile for limiting the penetration of said projectile into and through a game animal.
It is a further objective of this invention to provide an improved penetration limiter mountable on the rear of a bow-fired projectile which allows bow hunters to use their preferred model of shaft, fletching, arrowhead, and arrow rest.
It is yet a further objective of this invention to provide an improved penetration limiter mountable on the rear of a bow-fired projectile having a minimum impact on the range and accuracy of the projectile in flight.
It is yet a further objective of this invention to provide an improved penetration limiter mountable on the rear of a bow-fired projectile which is easy to use in the field.
It is yet a further objective of this invention to provide an improved penetration limiter mountable on the rear of a bow-fired projectile which is easy and inexpensive to manufacture.
It is yet a further objective of this invention to provide an improved penetration limiter mountable on the rear of a bow-fired projectile which deploys from the projectile shaft upon contact with a game animal to present a greater profile for increased resistance to travel.
It is yet a further objective of this invention to provide an improved penetration limiter mountable on the rear of a bow-fired projectile which may be used with a game animal escape impedance device.
Other objectives of this invention will be evident from the following disclosure.